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Mouth Numbing

I don’t know about you all, but I have many different symptoms of low blood sugars. There doesn’t seem to be any real pattern or set of circumstances that triggers one set of symptoms versus others.

I’m alright with that, and am thankful that I have symptoms left.

Right now though, I’m coming back up from a mouth numbing low. I think I mis-judged my late-breakfast carbs and also didn’t eat lunch when I maybe should have (20/20 hindsight right?).

The mouth numbing thing is something I don’t much like. It feels like when your foot falls asleep, except it’s your tongue… all tingly and stuff. And some down the back of my throat and around the inner side of my lips.

I’ll take the ravenous hunger instead, thank you.

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39 thoughts on “Mouth Numbing”

My tongue goes numb when I get bad lows (quick, potent downward spikes). I guess it is bittersweet. On one hand, it is a good warning sign because of the fact that it comes only with lows, as opposed to some symptoms that could be mistaken for either end of the spectrum.

But still I can’t stand it. It’s my least favorite of all the hypoglycemia symptoms. The loss of taste sensation can ruin your entire meal. Not to mention you don’t even get any enjoyment out of eating sweets during a low, as you can hardly taste them either.

I know this post is old but thank you for keeping it up. Just turned 29, though I haven’t been diagnosed with diabetes (my dad has it), my blood sugar spikes have been off the chart lately. Weakness, tingly, headache, hunger. I realized after I ate a dessert with raisins that I should stop eating sweets since I got the shakes, impaired vision, plus my face went numb. So Ive been dieting but last night my face went numb and my tongue did too which is a first.

Thanks for stopping by, Vanessa!
I’m sorry to hear you’ve been experiencing some uncomfortable things, but thanks for sharing. Please keep us posted and let us know what you and your doctor figure out. All the best for figuring it out!

Thank you for sharing! I’m 24 and have had diabetes since I was 9. However only recently has the numbness symptoms been happening for low blood sugar. The first few times was very scary, as I thought I was having an allergic reaction and was getting anxious that my throat was going to close. That anxiety only worsened the experience by actually causing me to panic, causing my heart to pound and my breath to get short, which only reaffirmed my thought that it was an allergic reaction! For some reason I developed them now, earlier in my life it was more shakiness and lightheadedness and hunger. It’s so uncomfortable!

I have noticed with all of my lows lately that my lips, the tip of my tongue and inside of my jaws get so tingly. Even after my levels are back to normal range it seems to take forever for the tingle to leave. Drives me crazy!

Today my levels are high. Like 340. I have been going through alot of hypoglycemic episodes and hyperglycemic episodes as well. I am not on any mrds at all and my endocrinologist is still trying to figure out what is going on with me. She has been on vacation all month and today myevels are high and my tongue is numb. I have been reading that may be a symptom of low blood sugar but not high blood sugar. Any thoughts.

Hi, Angelic!
Thanks for taking the time to read and leave a comment. I’m sorry to hear you’re dealing with all of that – sounds like a rough ride. My only experiences with feeling this way have been very short term (a few minutes) and always related to lows. I’m not sure what to think of what you’re describing. Please keep us posted!

Hi ! Few days ago my level of glycemia was too high and I felt exactly the same -tongue numbness -It is a symptom of hyperglycemia as well.If you have more information about this please update .Keep it up ! Thanks for reading and cheers for the website .

This community is a God send. Just happened for the first time and I freaked. I know I did’nt eat anything to make me feel this way. I’m so glad I found this web site. If it is one thing all diabetics need it is information and a sense of community.

Hi Mitchell,
I would encourage you to continue to talk with your doctor about it. Blood sugar checks are easy to do and relatively inexpensive. If your doctor doesn’t treat you to your satisfaction, then you need to find a different doctor.

what i just started feeling this dum numming feeling in my mouth i have not been told i have low blood sugar an i have been shaking at 12 noon everyday too what am i to do every time i tell my doctor its nothing

I usually get this too. The worst one I ever had was when everything from the neck up had that numb feeling. Seriously. My neck, lips, tongue, cheeks, nose… even my ears!!! I was falling super fast. Wild, huh?
I agree.. I’ll take the hunger over the numbness anyday!

My new one is when my blood sugars are getting high. I start to get neuropathy.
Ask your doctor about trying neurotin. It is a medication for other ailments, but is useful for some people who are having pain from neuropathy.

Yup, I get that too…. I have described it as itching or tingling, but none of those get the exact feeling right. I get it mostly on my lips and tongue, but sometimes my nose too. Sometimes I only get (or realize) the feeling after, when I start to come up.
Like George, but worse, the first time I got it I thought I was having an allergic reaction to pineapple I’d eaten. I’ve been eating it as long as I can remember and have never shown any signs of being allergic. Don’t ask me why (ok, the clouded low-thinking might’ve had something to do with it…) but I was lying in bed in my grandparents’ basement convinced that I was having an allergic reaction and that if noone found me when my throat closed up I’d be in serious danger.

I’ve had the numb tongue during a low for quite some time. This is the first time anyone else has mentioned it. I thought I owned this symptom :). I do not like it but it is a symptom–which I am grateful for today. I suffered from hypoglycemic unawareness for over a year. Since going on a pump, I’ve been able to reverse the unawareness and finally have my symptoms back, including the numb tongue.

THANK YOU for mentioning hypoglycemic unawareness!!! This is only the second time I’ve heard about this, and I’ve been a type one diabetic forover 30 years. The first time I heard about such a thing was less than three months ago!!

Wow! I am so glad you posted this as I just started getting this weird, uncomfortable sensation about a week ago. I thought it was pregnancy related somehow as my leg has been falling asleep lately too, but it appears to only happen when low-another diabetes related wtf!?

When I was first diagnosed I started with cold sweats, that was my first symptom that I recognized that I was getting low. Then came the numbness. Now I kinda get a little dizzy spell when my blood sugars start to get low.
My new one is when my blood sugars are getting high. I start to get neuropathy. I hate that feeling…the palms and soles of my feet start get that burning sensation. And it only feels better when I run them under cold water. I’d rather have the numbness than the burning sensation.

I haven’t had the numb lows, but I know when I crave something unusual (“Wow, that orange-flavored Hostess cupcake looks… interesting!”), my blood sugar is usually low.
Sometimes I feel incredibly low (just a weird feeling of non-equilibrium, which has been constant since my diagnosis) and sometimes I don’t feel anything at all. I’ll happen to test and–look at that!–I’m low.

I used to get those, I haven’t had any in ages though. They are odd, and a bit scarey…..I know when I changed and took things out of my diet, well, I don’t or haven’t had the mouth numbing low’s in quite sometime…
Cheryl

Yep, I get mouth numbing low’s, too. Not every time, and definitely seems like it’s during the lowest lows (is that a double negative?). I don’t find it to be all that unpleasant in and of itself, although it scares me because it’s just weird. Anyway, you’re not alone!

I used to get them all the time, but not so much any more. Those symptoms are the worst to come back from – seems to take hours – like coming back from the dentist and wanting the novocaine to wear off. Ick.

Scotty J –
Mouth numbing lows SUCK! It started happening to me about 5 years ago. At first I was like, WTF? I
thought maybe I ate to many hot peppers, but hot peppers never made my lips feel like they were not attached to the rest of me. I figured it out pretty quickly.
With that being said, your description of said mouth numbing low was absolutely spot on! Dude, you really nailed it – BRAVO.
k2

The one thing I’m not when I’m low – which has been rare for far too long – is hungry. I can’t stand to eat when low which makes treating a low a bit tricky. I haven’t experienced your numbness, however.

I just started to get this too!!
The first time, I couldn’t figure out what was going on. Then I tested. Yep a new symptom.
I used to get numbness in my legs and butt. The mouth was new.
I’m with you– I don’t like it. I tried (very unsuccessfully) to explain this feeling to someone. I’m glad someone else understands!!!